#HerveWatch – One Game Away From Russia

Herve Renard is just one game away from making next year’s FIFA World Cup a much sexier proposition after his Atlas Lions have gone top of their African Qualifying Group with a win a 3-0 over Gabon in Casablanca yesterday evening.

Before this penultimate set of fixtures took place Morocco were sitting second in the group and were ruing the fact that they were held to a draw in Mali last month. That draw in Bamako meant that the Ivory Coast had recaptured top spot in the group with just two qualifiers to go.

But the Ivorians also stumbled away in Mali on Friday night with a goalless draw of their own which then meant that should Morocco win last night then they would take back top spot in Group C. They may have had to face Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last night but they need not have worried.

This Morocco side have not conceded in this stage of the qualifiers and last night not only resulted in a fifth clean sheet but also a hat-trick from Khalid Boutaib to ease the home side to victory and now put them just one game away from Russia.

But the final game is certainly not going to be an easy one as they have to travel to Abidjan to face the Ivory Coast. That said if they can register a sixth straight clean sheet then it would be enough to make sure Herve Renard had masterminded his first ever World Cup qualification.

The fact that he is going up against his former employers will no doubt add to the intrigue but there is going to be no room for sentiment from the former Lille manager as although he earned AFCON success with the Ivory Coast that will have to be put into the past.

You may not know about the legend which is Herve Renard just yet but if Morocco do get the job done then even the most red blooded of males will have their pulses racing at the sight of this Gallic masterpiece. Next month it is definitely Allez Herve in the Real Football Man HQ, I’d advise you to do the same.

Here are all the goals from last night

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